Posted 9 months ago

5 Steps to Employ a Handyman to Work on Maintenance Projects

Source: Emmanuel Ikwuegbu on Unsplash

As a landlord, you're essentially the captain of your rental ship, steering it through the unpredictable waters of property ownership. But every captain needs a skilled crew to keep the ship sailing smoothly, and that's where your handyman comes in.

Whether it's a leaky faucet or a finicky doorknob, a reliable handyman is your secret weapon in maintaining a happy tenant community and safeguarding the value of your investment. As long as you pick the right one!

Here's an informative guide on employing a handyman for maintenance projects who’ll help you steer your ship to shore, not leave you shipwrecked.

Essential Things to Consider When Selecting Handymen

Before anything, you need to set your standards. Identify the criteria you’re looking for when screening your repair team.

Some key characteristics you should look out for include:

* License and Insurance - Look for accreditation. That’s a sure sign that your selected person or team is quality. As for insurance, it ensures you aren’t liable for any accidents that might happen on a job.
* Affordability - Select a team within your price range.
* Transparency - The maintenance team shouldn’t be afraid to tell you when a job is too hard. It’s better to inform you beforehand rather than attempt it and fumble—costing you more to undo a shoddy repair.

How to Screen Your Repairman Team

Like finding the right tenant for your property, you must find the right maintenance team to work with. In the same vein as tenant screening, employ the same tactics for finding your repair team.

So to give you the upper hand when assembling your maintenance crew, we’ve gathered 5 tips to help you complete your perfect squad.

Step 1: Identify Places to Look

When looking for a reputable handyman to work with, your first option should be to inquire with fellow landlords. Assuming you’ve built a good rapport with your fellow landlords, they’ll hook you up with a class-A team.

On the other hand, if you’re the new kid on the block and feel a bit shy, you can always rely on the good ole internet. Luckily there’s a healthy selection of sites to direct you toward handymen in your area. You can check out sites like:

Once you’ve found someone to work with, don’t forget to check out their reviews, customer feedback, and comments section to determine whether they’re worth the money.

Pro Tip: Go to the local Home Depot or Lowe’s on a Saturday and network with handymen there. If someone’s working on a weekend morning, they’re probably dedicated to the job.

Step 2: The Interview

When you've shortlisted a few potential handymen, arrange interviews. Think of it as a courtly dance, where you lead with questions that unveil their experience, range of skills, and availability. Ask about previous projects, their approach to problem-solving, and how they handle unexpected challenges.

Step 3: Ask for References

If you’re satisfied with the initial interview, scouting previous employers is your next step—ask for references. Satisfied clients speak volumes for your prospective handyman’s work ethic.

A dependable handyman will have a scroll of references who can vouch for their reliability and skill. Reach out to these references and inquire about their experience working together.

Step 4: A Practice Project

When buying a car, you’ll want to take the model for a test drive before committing. And like cars, landlords and handymen are in for a long relationship. If you aren’t satisfied with initial impressions, a long-term relationship might not be in the cards.

So, start by giving your prospective maintenance team a test project. Choose something non-risky to avoid potential complications down the line. Something like painting a room or fixing leaky plumbing should give you an idea if building a working relationship is in your best interests.

If they pass your test, you’re one step away from securing your maintenance team.

Step 5: Build a Long Term Relationship

If you’re satisfied with your prospective handyman, keeping them happy is now on you. Ideally, you want to only work with one team, so focus on keeping them busy and satisfied with your working conditions.

If you don’t contact them for weeks or months on end, chances are they’ll have other priority projects, and you’ll be at the back of the line.

Keep your contractors happy, and you won’t have to worry about repair jobs for the rest of your landowning days.

Build Your Own Maintenance Super Squad

Hiring handymen is one of those things that may take a little extra time to do right, but it pays dividends in the long run. Follow these tips, and you should be pretty sure the one you’re working with is a good investment.

Having problems finding a reliable maintenance specialist? Reach out to us, and we can work together to bring your properties to peak performance.